Dredging-machine for excavating under water in rivers



OLIVER ALBEN, OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT.

DREDGING-MACHINE FOR EXCAVATING UNDER WATER IN RIVERS, DOCKS, 85C.

Specification of Letters Patent N0. 1,591, dated May 8, 1840.

T0 all tohom t may concern Be 1t known that l, OLIVER ALLEN, of Norwich,in the county of New London and lState of Oonnecticutfhave inventedcertain Improvements in Dredging- Machines for Excavating Under vVaterin Rivers, Docks, &c.; and I do hereby declare that the follow ing is afull and exact description thereof.

A main object in my improvements is so to construct this machine as thatthe bucket by which the earth is to be raised shall be taken back by itsown gravity to any desired point on the bottom of the river, dock, orother water where the excavating is to be effected, instead of drawingit back by manual labor, as has usually been done.

Figure l in the accompanying` drawing is a perspective view of the wholemachine. A, is the main drum, or capstan, to which the power is to beapplied. This may be driven by horse power, or by any other adequatemeans. B, is the crane to which the dredging bucket is to be suspended,and by which it is to be moved to the required point for delivering itsload, and C the post firmly fixed to the deck of the machine, andsustaining the cap in which the upper gudgeon of the crane is received.D,.D, D, is the main chain, or rope upon which the captain A, operates.This passes from the drum or capstan around a sheave in a snatch blockat a, thence over a sheave in the upper end of the 4crane post at Z),and thence over the sheave at the end of the arm of the crane at c, fromwhich the bucket is suspended. E, E, is a lever which works on a jointpin in the crane post B, allowing it to ris-e and fall, for a purpose tobe presently explained. It is guided up and down immediately under thearm B, between the cheeks CZ, d, attached to the crane. This lever hason its outer end a sheave e, around which the chain D, D passes,and'which is prevented from leaving it by means of a metallic loop, orcheek piece, between which and the sheave said chain passes up and down.The lever E, E, is represented as down, and resting on the deck of themachine, which is its position when the excavating bucket F, is beingcharged with earth, and raised up to a certain height when in thisposition it is held down by the latch f, but it may be disengaged bymaking pressure with the hand or foot upon the lever g. Gr, is a polefirmly attached to the back of the excavating bucket F, which poleslides up and down freely in a vhole in the swivel piece 7L, which turnsin the upright post H, and which thusserves to keep the bucket in aproper position, while it.

admits of its moving freely in the act of excavating. I, I, is a ropewhich is made fast to the middle of the back of the bucket, whence itpasses to a sheave z', at the upper end of the mast K, K, down which itdescends, passing around the sheave j, where its slack may be taken in,and the rope made fast to a -cl-eat on the post H, or elsewhere, thusplacing itI under the control of one of the attendants, to haul in orout, as may be necessary. Ze, 7c, is a rope attached at one end to thelever E, E, and passing over sheaves at Z, and m, in order to haveaweight attached to its opposite end as a counterpoise to the lever E,E.

Fig. 2 is a separate view of the drum or capstan A, and its appendages,and is intended to exhibit more clearly the manner of constructing thebrake by which it is to be checked when necessary. This brake consistsof an iron ring, or hoop, n, n, in two parts connected by a joint pin ato, which passes into the deck. L, is a vertical rod, which may be turnedby the lever M, and carrying at its lower 'end two connecting links p,p, attached by joint pins to the respective sections of the brake, sothat by turning the lever M, they may be made firmly to embrace thedrum, and hold it in check. N, N, is the engaging and disengagingapparatus by which the drum or capstan may be thrown into and out ofgear. There is not anything novel in this part.

Then this machine is to be used, the bucket being allowed to descend byvraising the disengaging apparatus, it will swing back by its owngravity, in consequence of its connection with the post H, andthe lineI, I, by which the depth of its descent is to be regulated. The maindrum or capstan is then to be thrown into gear, and the propelling powerapplied, which will draw the bucket forward and cause it to receive itsload. When it comes nearly under the lever E, E, it will be raised, andas it comes into contact, or nearly so, with the end of this lever, thelatch f, is to be withdrawn, and the rise of the bucket will carry thelever with it. When raised to the proper height for dumping the crane isswung around, so as to carry the bucket over the lighter andVK the loadis dumped by opening thebottom of the bucket, `Wl1ich,as" in manyv otherma-v chines, is so constructed as to admit of this being done. -Thecrane is then brou ht back, the bottom of the bucket closed, an thedisengagng apparatus raised, so as toth'row the drum out of gear,'andallow the bucket and lever to descend, and the operation to be repeated.Y y

Having thus fully described the construc` tion of my improved dredgingmachine,

and shown the manner in which the same operates, what If claimasmyinvention, and

desiife to lsecure byvLetterslPatent is- The manner in which I governand direct 15 the operation ofthe excavating bucket F, by the combinedoperation of the leyer E, E, and the rope or line I,Ljarrangedandyopverating substantially in the mannerfand for `the purpose herein setorthfOLIVER ALLEN.

